


Out of Reach

by terrawrites



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon), Young Justice (Comics), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Mind Control, Other, Verbal Abuse, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 11:23:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16853101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/terrawrites/pseuds/terrawrites
Summary: Anonymous requested “I’m not angry at you, just at myself… Because I knew this would happen, but I let myself fall in love with you anyways.” + “It would have been better if we never met.”  with Jaime





	Out of Reach

           You were many things these days. The Reach was everywhere you looked. Whereas it may have made other people comfortable, it only put you more and more at an unease. You see, unlike everyone else, you knew the truth about them. Or at least, you knew most of the truth. Your boyfriend was none other than Jaime Reyes, or Blue Beetle as the public knew him. He had been quick to tell you what was really going on with the seemingly non-threatening “visitors” that had appeared in the skies of your planet. He just wanted to keep you safe from them, and from their mind-altering drink called Reach.

           And for a time, things were okay. You were still very worried about your boyfriend, especially after he had showed up one day upset over hearing the news of what he was in the future. You did your best to reassure him, saying that because Bart was back in the past things had already changed, and that it was unlikely that future could ever happen now. He nodded at the time and the two of you dropped the subject, but you could still tell that the information bothered him.

           You had tried to feign happiness the day he came back to you all excited about not hearing his beetle anymore. You had heard all about the Green Beetle from Mars from Bart, and something about him hadn’t seemed right with you, but you had tried to push that aside and let yourself be swept up in the arms of the one you loved. The deed had already been done and Jaime seemed better and happier than before, so was there anything to really worry about?

           The answer to that of course, was yes though you didn’t know that until later on. It started out subtle, small differences here and there that you had just chalked up to stress with the mission and trying to expose an enemy good at covering their tracks and spouting slander. However, things kept escalating until the changes in Jaime’s behavior were as plain as day. Suddenly he was working for the Reach, and all but ignoring you. When he did acknowledge you, he was cold and almost cruel. It hurt, though you tried not to show it, there had to be a reason for this sudden change in behavior, right? But no matter how much you tried, you were unable to contact any members of the team, leaving you alone to bear the emotional burden of what your relationship was turning into. Jaime was becoming a whole new person right in front of you, and this version was nothing like the warm-hearted loving boyfriend you had fallen in love with. The first night you came to this realization was the first of many nights you had cried yourself to sleep.

           You didn’t quite understand what was happening with the world right now, only that most the League and the Team were MIA and might never return, and that the Reach were slowly gaining more and more influence. Yet the only person who could help make sense of all of this and provide some sort of hope wanted nothing to do with you as of late.

* * *

           Inside, Jaime was in agony. He could see how he was hurting you, even though it wasn’t him in control of his voice or actions anymore. This was still all his fault. He was so scared of turning into the Blue Beetle of Bart’s future, of possibly hurting you, that he ended up setting forward the chain of events that guaranteed that future, and there was no one to blame other than himself. He wanted so badly to reach out and pull you close, to whisper words of love and comfort to you, to apologize for everything and to set things right. Most of all he just wanted to see you smile again like you used to whenever the two of you were together.

           He fought tooth and nail, metaphorically, every single moment that the Reach continued to control his body. He felt the bile in his stomach and self-loathing only continue to rise whenever he was forced to interact with you, to hurt you even further. But he was too weak in comparison to their technology. Worst of all, he was growing tired, and weary. He was exhausted from fighting mentally against what they did to him as hard as he was. He could feel himself tiring out, and it only made him hate himself more and more as he felt himself continue to fight back less and less. He just hoped that the team would find a way to help him before he lost himself, before he lost you, completely.

* * *

           Things continued to only get worse for the two of you as the pressure from the Reach continued to build. Finally, you had enough and cornered Jaime in your room before he could shrug you off and leave again. “We need to talk.”

           “I’m busy right now, I don’t have the time to deal with this.” He waved his hand in a dismissive fashion and tried to move around you, but you pushed him back with a force that surprised him, if his expression was anything to go by.

           “ _No_. You’re  _going_  to sit here, and you’re  _going_  to listen to what I have to say  _Jaime_.” You could already feel your heart grow heavier, but he was leaving you with no choice.

           “Fine. Spit it out so that I can get back to more important things.” Jaime crossed his arms and looked at you with disdain. Inside he was screaming. He knew what was happening and he was fighting back harder than ever against the hold the Reach had over him. The Reach scientists in control of him however, were chattering in an excited tone between them, glad to finally be rid of you.

           “This is exactly what I’m talking about! What happened to you? Ever since the Reach showed up you’ve been a completely different person! If I did something to make you like this just tell me, please and I’ll fix it but I’m not just going to let you keep treating me this way with no explanation. You act like you don’t even care about me anymore… like I never mattered to you…” You couldn’t stop the tears now as they began to fall down your cheeks.

           “That’s just the thing, it’s not just something that you did. It’s  _everything_  you do. It’s  _everything_  about you that’s the problem. I don’t love you, I never did. Being with you was a mistake and I can’t believe I ever though that being with someone so pathetic was ever a good idea. If this conversation is going where I think it is than just get it over with, so I can get back to living my life without you anywhere near it.”

           You were stunned speechless. Never would you have ever thought that Jaime could have been capable of saying such things to you or anyone. And the words themselves cut deep into your very core, like he knew exactly what to say to hit every single one of your insecurities. There were more than a few moments of no words between the two of you, and between your muffled sobs you missed the sound of Jaime’s heart breaking at what they were making him do to you. The worst part about this to him was the knowledge that he had no one to blame for this but himself. If he wasn’t so consumed with trying to get rid of the scarab he never would have taken Green Beetle up on his offer and ended up in this situation where he had to watch someone else tear you apart with his body while he watched helplessly from inside his own mind.

           Finally, you composed yourself enough to say something. The words from your friends and family playing on repeat in your head.  **“I’m not angry at you, just at myself… Because I knew this would happen, but I let myself fall in love with you anyways.”** Your vision was blurred with tears and left you unable to really see Jaime in front of you. For if you had really looked into his eyes, you could have caught a glimpse of the man you had fallen in love with, of the man who was still there just trapped within himself, unable to reach out or speak out of his own accord.

**“It would have been better if we never met.”**  With that he turned and left, leaving you alone with only the sounds of your muffled sobs to break the heavy silence of the empty house.

           Yes, you were many things these days. You were scared, confused, worried many among others, but now you could add heartbroken to that list.


End file.
